PROVO, Utah (AP) 鈥� A former campus police officer testified Monday that he found an apparent 鈥渟niper pad鈥� on a rooftop near where , as prosecutors sought to convince a state judge they have enough evidence to put a for murder.
Former Utah Valley University Officer Christopher Bagley said he witnessed Kirk’s shooting as the conservative activist spoke to a crowd of thousands last year. Soon after, he went to a nearby gravel rooftop, where it appeared someone had been lying prone with a clear sightline to Kirk’s location, Bagley said.
鈥淚t looks like a sniper pad,鈥� Bagley said, adding, “you鈥檝e got markings of elbows, knees and feet.鈥�
The testimony came as Kirk鈥檚 parents, Kathryn and Robert, and widow, Erika, were in the courtroom for the first time since the case began, along with Donald Trump Jr., President Donald Trump鈥檚 son.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for defendant . A five-day preliminary hearing that began Monday marks the most significant presentation of evidence to date in the case.
Robinson’s parents also were present, sitting a few rows behind the Kirks as the hearing began. The 23-year-old defendant is in the of Kirk, a conservative activist and ally of President Donald Trump, at . Robinson the day after the shooting.
Prosecutors allege he confessed in a note left for his roommate, who was also his romantic partner, that read: 鈥淚 had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I鈥檓 going to take it.鈥�
Robinson has not yet entered a plea, and his attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence. They have, however, sought to get the taken off the table, so far unsuccessfully.
A low threshold for prosecutors
Robinson sat quietly between his attorneys on Monday, looking at the prosecution鈥檚 exhibits on a monitor and occasionally taking notes. He wore a gray suit, and his wrists were shackled to a chain around his waist.
Charlie Kirk’s parents and widow walked out of the courtroom when a police officer started testifying about Kirk鈥檚 arrival on campus the day he was shot. They later returned.
The proceeding , but prosecutors need only demonstrate that there are reasonable grounds to believe Robinson killed Kirk. The standard is lower than for a trial, where prosecutors must prove guilt 鈥渂eyond a reasonable doubt.鈥�
Prosecutors as a result should have little trouble advancing their case, said Mark Kouris, a former prosecutor and state judge in Salt Lake City.
鈥淭his standard is extremely low and the chances of them not getting through it are, quite frankly, almost nothing,” said Kouris, now an adjunct professor at the University of Utah鈥檚 S.J. Quinney College of Law. 鈥�
Bagley, the prosecution’s first witness, said he could see the right side of Charlie Kirk鈥檚 body as Kirk spoke on campus. Kirk was answering a question when Bagley heard a gunshot.
鈥淚 saw him go to the left … I could no longer see the right side of his body,鈥� Bagley said. 鈥淭hen everybody started getting up and started to run, more of a chaos situation.鈥�
Defense attorney Kathryn Nester asked Bagley about finding an empty pistol holster on the ground after the crowd fled. Bagley acknowledged he never took custody of the holster and didn’t know if it was fingerprinted.
Nester repeatedly objected to evidence introduced by prosecutors, but was overruled by the judge. Any evidence from this week鈥檚 hearing would have to be reintroduced again to be used at trial.
Roommate’s recorded testimony could be focal point
Prosecutors can use secondhand information, or hearsay, to help present their case. They expect to present between 40 and 50 exhibits during this week’s hearing.
Chief Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander told state District Judge Tony Graf that the exhibits will include several videos of the Sept. 10 shooting, which occurred as Kirk was addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University. The videos will be shown on a courtroom monitor that is being set up so that it won鈥檛 be captured by the press videographer in the courtroom, said Graf.
Prosecutors have said they plan to present DNA evidence linking Robinson to the suspected murder weapon, autopsy findings, witness statements and video of Kirk鈥檚 killing. They are also expected to argue the shooting endangered others at Kirk’s campus event 鈥� an aggravating circumstance that could make the crime punishable by death under Utah law.
Once the hearing is finished, Graf must determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
Robinson’s roommate is not expected to testify in person during the hearing. Still, the roommate’s recorded testimony could be a focal point for prosecutors.
In addition to the alleged confession note, Robinson reportedly texted his roommate that he targeted Kirk because he 鈥渉ad enough of his hatred,鈥� prosecutors have said.
Erika Kirk says court proceedings are a ‘painful reminder’
Before his death, Kirk and the organization he co-founded, Turning Point USA, to help Trump win a second term.
The Republican president has said he hopes Robinson receives the death penalty.
said during his memorial service that she forgives Robinson.
Ahead of Monday’s hearing, she thanked supporters in a statement for their kindness and prayers.
鈥淓very court proceeding serves as a painful reminder of his death,鈥� she wrote, 鈥渁nd the loss that has irrevocably impacted our lives and the lives of his children.鈥�
She added that the public outpouring 鈥渉as sustained us during the darkest days of our lives.鈥�
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Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
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